USL PRO Update

HARRISBURG, Pa. -The Pittsburgh Riverhounds scored four second-half goals as they rallied to take a 4-3 victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders at Skyline Sports Complex on Friday night in the second Keystone Derby of the season. Jose Angulo had a pair of goals as the Riverhounds gained revenge for their defeat in the first meeting.

Harrisburg held a 2-0 halftime lead, but Pittsburgh hit back early in the second half as it was awarded a penalty kick that was driven home by Angulo for his eighth goal of the season.

The Riverhounds tied the game 10 minutes later as Darren Amoo was left unattended in the penalty area for a header into the right corner of the net. Vincent then went close with 20 minutes to go as he forced a good save by Nick Noble from the lefts side of the penalty area.

Harrisburg had a chance to regain the lead with just less than 20 minutes to go, with a curling effort by Jamiel Hardware going over the crossbar, but Pittsburgh took the lead in the 76th minute as Ryan Kinne surged through the City Islanders\' defense. Noble came out to block the initial shot, but the ball came straight to Angulo, who hit a first-time finish into the vacant net.

Mike Seth then added a fourth in the 83rd minute with his first touch of the game, moments after being brought on as a substitute, after a good low cross from the right by Stefan Lundberg to make it 4-2. Sainey Touray pulled a goal back for the City Islanders in the first minute of stoppage time, but Harrisburg ran out of time as they sought an equalizer.

Harrisburg had taken the lead in the opening minute as Tom Mellor stole possession at the top of the penalty area and cut inside onto his right before firing his shot into the right corner of the net. The game evened out following the early goal, but the City Islanders doubled their lead in the 21st minute as Jason Pelletier slipped in Jimmy McLaughlin behind the Riverhounds\' defense for a low finish into the left corner. The Riverhounds\' rally proved too much for the City Islanders, however, as Harrisburg missed out on its opportunity to close within a point of Orlando at the top of the standings.

FRIDAY

CHARLOTTE 1, TAMPA BAY 0: The Charlotte Eagles took their second consecutive victory as a second-half goal by Sergio Villasenor earned the win against VSI Tampa Bay FC at Queens Sports Complex.

The Eagles started the game on top, and almost took the lead in the 11th minute as Jorge Herrera was slipped in behind VSI\'s defensive line, but Tampa Bay goalkeeper Alex Horwath came quickly off his line to smother the shot. Charlotte continued to threaten, with VSI\'s Josh Rife making a vital clearance for a corner to keep the game scoreless in the 26th minute.

Charlotte continued to press just before the halftime break, with a header by Fejiro Okiomah going off the crossbar from Herrera\'s corner kick. Tampa Bay\'s Mauricio Salles also went close in the final minute of the half as he forced Charlotte goalkeeper Eric Reed into a save from a tight angle on the left side of the penalty area.

The second half proved more balanced, with both sides having chances to take the lead. The Eagles grabbed the lead with 16 minutes to go, however, as Villasenor put away a finish into the left corner of the net from 12 yards. Charlotte came close to adding to its lead with four minutes to go, but Brady Bryant was unable to convert from close range. The missed opportunity wouldn\'t matter, however, as the Eagles took victory.

ROCHESTER 2, ANTIGUA 1: A 10-man Rochester Rhinos rallied from a second-half deficit as two goals in the final 15 minutes earned victory against Antigua Barracuda FC at Sahlen\'s Stadium. Danny Earls and Tyler Rosenlund scored for the Rhinos, who took their second win in their past three outings.

Both sides started with good energy, with Antigua pushing forward early. Rochester came close to hitting on the counter-attack, and Rosenlund also came close from a corner kick only to send his header wide of the left post. Antigua came close to taking the lead just before the halftime break, with a goal-line clearance from Orlando Mitchum by JC Banks the only thing keeping the game scoreless at the break.

Rochester came out sharply to start the second half, with Mike Reidy shooting over from the 16 yards from the left side of the penalty area early. Antigua took the lead, however, as Mitchum scored on the counter-attack in the 57th minute. It was Mitchum\'s second goal in as many games.

The Rhinos were quick to try and answer back, but were reduced to 10 men in the 71st minute after Lucas Fernandez was adjudged to have clipped Antigua goalkeeper Molvin James late after he had claimed possession. Five minutes later the Rhinos got back on even terms, though, as Earls converted from the penalty spot after Rosenlund was brought down in the penalty area.

The equalizer set up a frenetic finish, and James had to be sharp to deny Tam McManus from 12 yards with a fine save. Antigua saw a penalty claim of its own turned away, and then hit the post with four minutes to go as a good cross was met by Randolph Burton on the volley from 10 yards. Rochester grabbed victory two minutes later as Blake Brettschneider\'s ball into the penalty area was controlled by Rosenlund and lifted over James into the net for a 2-1 win.

PHOENIX 0, DAYTON 0: Phoenix FC and the Dayton Dutch Lions played to a draw at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. The draw was Phoenix\'s second consecutive scoreless draw, while the Dutch Lions extended their undefeated streak to seven games as they claimed a point to remain in eighth place in the USL PRO standings.

Phoenix took control of the game from the outset, and Darren Mackie had the Wolves\' first scoring chance in the fourth minute, only to shoot over. Donny Toia also went close from a set piece, with his header from Scott Morrison\'s delivery in the 15th minute just going wide of the left post.

Morrison himself had a pair of first-half opportunities, the first in the 19th minute that saw him curl a free kick just wide of the right post. The Scottish midfielder also sent a shot high over the crossbar from just outside the penalty area as the teams approached halftime, while Dayton also went close through Gibson Bardsley in the 44th minute with the Dutch Lions\' only clear chance of the half.

Phoenix continued to have the better of the game in the second half, but continued to struggle with its finishing. A good cross from Anthony Obodai in the 65th minute couldn\'t quite connect with a teammate, and the midfielder himself had a pair of good chances that both missed the target. Dayton continued to threaten on the counter-attack, but the two teams shared the points as they finished scoreless.

SATURDAY

RICHMOND 1, VANCOUVER RESERVES 1: The Richmond Kickers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC Reserves played to a draw at City Stadium. Vancouver took a first-half lead through Kekuta Manneh, but Joseph Ngwenya\'s seventh goal of the season earned the Kickers a draw as they came close to grabbing all three points late.

The Whitecaps pressed early in the game and were able to create a couple of chances off defensive turnovers by the Kickers defense. Richmond was eventually able to settle, but Vancouver took the lead on another poor defensive play by the Kickers that opened a chance for Manneh, and the former Austin Aztex standout drove a low finish into the left corner of the net in the 23rd minute.

The goal appeared to energize the Kickers, and they twice came close to tying the game before the halftime break. Nate Robinson sent a shot just wide of the left post after a shot by Ngwenya was blocked, and Brian Ownby went close from 10 yards, only to send his effort over the crossbar six minutes later.

The Kickers continued their bright play at the start of the second half, and were rewarded nine minutes in when Ownby got to the goal line on the left side and centered low to the near post where Ngwenya was on hand to tap home a finish. The Kickers then went close to taking the lead on the hour-mark, with Henry Kalungi curling a shot just over the crossbar from 17 yards out.

Ownby came close to giving the Kickers the lead on a counter-attack in the 74th minute. Michael Seaton began the move, and picked out Ownby breaking down the left, but his shot from 15 yards clipped the outside of the right post and out for a goal kick.

Both teams continued to attack in the final 15 minutes, and Richmond almost stole all three points as a header by William Yomby from a corner went off the right post. Ownby then hit the crossbar from 10 yards with a volley in stoppage time, but both teams were forced to settle for a point as the Kickers maintained their undefeated record.

CHARLESTON 0, TAMPA BAY 0: The Charleston Battery and VSI Tampa Bay FC played to a scoreless draw at Blackbaud Stadium. The draw was the Battery\'s third consecutive, and allowed Tampa Bay to claim a point from their weekend trip to the Carolinas.

Both sides opened brightly, and while Tampa Bay held a good portion of possession, Charleston\'s speed allowed the Battery to create chances. Left back John Wilson made a surging run down the flank on a counter-attack and fired a shot that was turned wide of the right post by Tampa Bay goalkeeper Alex Horwath. The Battery had other opportunities through Heviel Cordoves and Colin Falvey, who sent a header just over the bar in the 28th minute.

Tampa Bay\'s first good chance came in the 40th minute, as a nice piece of interplay sprung Darren Toby into the penalty area alone, but the midfielder spooned his shot over the crossbar from seven yards as the teams went to the halftime break scoreless.

VSI came close to opening the scoring early in the second half as Tony Donatelli\'s long-range shot was turned wide by Odisnel Cooper for the Battery. Charleston soon had a chance of its own, wit Jose Cuevas\' redirection on a low cross going just wide of the left post.

The game remained open as both teams had chances to take the lead in the last half hour. Sallieu Bundu had a great opportunity to finish from close range for VSI against his former side, but was unable to get clean contact on his finish allowing the Battery to clear, and Quinton Griffith fired a shot over the crossbar from 16 yards after being played in on the right for the Battery.

Charleston\'s Nicki Paterson had a fine free kick saved by Horwath in the 90th minute, and that proved to be the final proper chance for either side as they settled for a point apiece.

WILMINGTON 0, CHARLOTTE 0: The Wilmington Hammerheads saw a three-game home winning streak come to an end as they played to a draw with Charlotte Eagles at Legion Stadium. The Eagles earned a point to move into sixth place in the USL PRO standings.

Wilmington applied pressure from the opening kickoff and came close to taking the lead in the fourth minute as Cory Elenio had a shot saved by Eagles goalkeeper Eric Reed. The Hammerheads continued to have the better of the game in the opening half hour, but were unable to find a way past Reed, who finished the game with four saves.

Charlotte came into the game more toward the end of the first half, and Jorge Herrera forced Troy Hernandez into a good save for the Hammerheads in the 38th minute. After the game went to the halftime break scoreless, Wilmington\'s Tom Parratt went close early in the second half, only for his shot from 25 yards to go over the crossbar in the 51st minute.

Chances continued to come for both sides as the half went on, with Reed making a big save from Bryce Taylor to keep the game scoreless in the 68th minute. Wilmington\'s Cody Arnoux had a bicycle kick also go just wide after coming on as a substitute, and the Eagles almost grabbed victory with the final kick of the game as a four-on-three counter-attack ended with a shot by Herrera going just wide of Hernandez\'s right post. In the end, however, both teams were forced to settle for a point as they each recorded their second consecutive shutouts.

SUNDAY

PITTSBURGH 4, ANTIGUA 1: Darren Amoo scored a pair of goals as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds took a 4-1 win against Antigua Barracuda FC at Highmark Stadium. The victory extended the Riverhounds\' undefeated streak to 10 games, and moved them into the playoff positions for the first time this season.

The Riverhounds struck quickly as Amoo capitalized on a poor defensive header that came to him at the top of the penalty area. Amoo controlled, and fired a good left-footed half-volley into the right side of the net for his second goal in as many games.

Antigua hit back less than 10 minutes later as Tamorley Thomas finished off a good counter-attack with a chip over Pittsburgh goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap. Three minutes later, however, the Riverhounds regained the lead as Matt Dallman\'s pass in from the right to the top of the penalty area was hit first time by Rob Vincent, and his looping shot curled into the top-right corner of the net for a 2-1 lead.

Amoo scored his second in the 55th minute, putting home the rebound after a free kick by Jose Angulo came back off the right post. The Riverhounds added to their lead nine minutes later, as Angulo fired home a finish off the underside of the crossbar from 20 yards.

The Riverhounds tried to add to their lead late, but claimed their second win of the weekend as they continued their strong run of form.

DAYTON 1, LOS ANGELES 0: The Dayton Dutch Lions took their first win against the Los Angeles Blues in club history as a late goal by Tjeerd Westdijk earned victory at Titan Stadium. The Dutch Lions moved into a tie for fifth place with the win, moving ahead of the Blues in the USL PRO standings.

Dayton grabbed victory in the final minute are a poor clearance by the Blues set up the Dutch Lions for a quick counter-attack. Gibson Bardsley picked up possession in the right channel, and his low cross was met by Westdijk 12 yards from goal for a first-time finish past Mohammed Mohammedi.

The first half saw the Blues hold more possession, but neither side was able to create many clear-cut scoring opportunities. The Blues had a good chance early in the second half, but George Davis\' shot from 10 yards went over the crossbar.

Dayton had its own chance to take the lead moments later, only for Blues goalkeeper Mohammedi to make a good save on a shot from 15 yards. Los Angeles forced a good save from Dayton goalkeeper Matt Williams in the 64th minute as Chris Cortez\'s header appeared goal-bound, only for the Dutch Lions\' goalkeeper to tip the effort over the crossbar.

Dayton\'s Eli Garner had a great chance to open the scoring in the 71st minute after being played into the right side of the penalty area, but he pulled his shot and it was blocked away to safety by the Blues defense. Los Angeles\' Karim Barcelo had hit shot from 16 yards partially blocked before Williams collected the ball to keep the game scoreless with nine minutes to go, and Westdijk\'s late goal made the Blues pay as Dayton claimed all three points.